This invention pertains to the art of modular building panel or wall assemblies and more particularly to filler strips employed for closing gaps or joints between modular panels of such assemblies.
The invention is particularly applicable to a filler strip for closing a gap in a wall comprised of modular panels wherein the panels are pre-engineered and pre-fabricated for on-cite assembly and typically include gaps or joint spaces between adjacent panels after assembly. The panels may be constructed of a variety of building materials but typically concrete or various other heavy and rigid building materials are employed. The filler strip encloses and generally seals the joint spaces resulting when the panels are not in sealing abutment. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, that the invention could be readily adapted for other uses, as, for example, where similar filler strip devices are employed.
Conventional modular building panel assemblies which are assembled on cite typically suffer from the problems of having joint spaces or gaps of a variety of widths between adjacent panels of a flat wall section assembly and at corners of the wall assembly. Prior filler strips which have been employed for closing these gaps have suffered from the problems of not being readily adjustable for accommodating gaps of various dimensions to close the gaps. In addition, such filler strips were cumbersome and difficult to install. Where prior filler strips irregularly engaged the side walls of the modular panels, not only did problems arise from inadequate closure of the gap but also a displeasing aesthetic appearance was presented.
It has long been sought to provide a simple and inexpensive means to close a gap between modular panels where a plurality of gaps may comprise a variety of dimensions in a singular modular panel assembly. The present invention contemplates a new and improved filler strip with locking clip which overcomes all of the above-referred to problems and others to provide a new filler strip which is simple in design, economical to manufacture, readily adaptable to a plurality of closure applications with panel members having a variety of dimensional characteristics and which provides improved gap closure and aesthetic appearance.